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Only Ever After by Niecey Roy

Synopsis

Hillary Dubas has everything she’s ever wanted. A family who loves her, friends who are always there for her, and a successful bakery she’s poured her heart and soul into. The one thing missing is love. Finding her Ever After in her hometown is not so easy, though. In fact, it’s really more of a nightmare. Especially when the only kissing she’s doing is with a man who’s all wrong for her. She knows better than to get too close to a playboy like Trey… Doesn’t she?

When Trey Thompson returned to his hometown to visit his ill grandpa, he never thought he’d stay more than a few weeks. Now here he is, nearly two years later. Still in River Bend. And Hillary—aggravating, exasperating, breathtaking Hillary—is running around town, recklessly dating anything with two feet. Not that he cares. He’s always considered her off limits. So why can’t he keep his hands off her?

Excerpt

They stumbled into his bedroom, hitting the door, then bounced off a dresser before making it to the bed. He didn’t fall onto the mattress, though. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest, his face snuggled into her hair.

“This bed’s too big for one. Are you sure—”

“Don’t even say it, Thompson.” She wiggled out of his arms.

“Ah, that hurts my feelings, Hills.” His pout was illuminated by the pale light of the yard lamp outside the bedroom window. “You’re the best, you know that?”

He stepped closer, and she held her breath.

“I . . . thank you.” Her words came out strained. What is he doing?

He brushed at a strand of hair that’d escaped her ponytail. When his fingers touched her cheek, her eyes widened. Her pulse raced wildly while he traced a soft line across her cheek before brushing the hair back behind her ear. She held her breath until his fingers drifted down to her neck, blazing a trail with their path.

Then his head dipped and she sucked in a ragged breath.

Every thought in her mind blanked from the intensity of his gaze. Then his eyelids fluttered shut, and his lips brushed against hers in a feather light kiss. Electricity shot through her, straight down to curl her toes. The shock of it left her rattled. All she had to do was lean up to deepen the kiss. And she wanted to, which floored her even more than the kiss.

It was over too soon, just a quick brush of his lips against hers. When his head lifted, she resisted the urge to touch her fingertips to her lips. The sensitive skin around her lips still felt the tickle of his beard.

He brushed her cheek with his thumb, his eyes searching hers, as if looking for an answer to a question he hadn’t asked. “If you were cold and wet, I’d snuggle you to keep you warm, Hills.”

“That’s nice of you to say.” Her voice shook, and she felt light headed. “I’ll remember that.”

Then he reached for his zipper, and Hillary’s eyes bulged with disbelief.

“Keep your clothes on!”

Oh. My. God. This wasn’t happening. Not when he was this drunk!

She shook her head.

I mean, not ever, she corrected herself. She wasn’t thinking straight. Nothing could ever, ever happen between them. They were friends. And he was an insufferable pain in her butt. He wasn’t even her type. No, Hillary wanted someone who wasn’t emotionally challenged when it came to relationships, and definitely not someone drawn to destructive relationships. Trey was none of those things. So nothing could ever happen between them. Not ever, she told herself more sternly.

“I can’t sleep with my pants on.” He tugged off his jeans, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

Giveaway

About the Author

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who wrote sappy poetry about every relationship gone wrong. She had her heart broken many times before the man of her dreams stepped off a big Navy ship and swept her off her feet, promising to never hold her shoe obsession against her.

From that day forward, she swore she’d never again write sappy poetry of unrequited love. Instead, a sucker for smooches and happily-ever-afters, Niecey Roy now writes contemporary romance inspired by her sailor’s sexy brown eyes and charming sense of humor.